Mitsubishi is set to release a new hybrid, plug-in SUV concept car – the Ground Tourer Concept in Paris Motorshow 2016, somewhen around the month of September.
With some of the Japanese car manufacturer’s best recent releases being SUVs, including the Outlander and Outlander Sport, there is good reason to expect the new design model to impress.

Word is that the concept will borrow from the existing XR PHEV line and other concepts car showed off over the past year and is the latest step in Mitsubishi’s move to push for better hybrid technology and efficiency.

What is a plug-in hybrid?

A plug-in hybrid car is an electric vehicle designed to be extra energy efficient and environmentally friendly, without giving up too much in the way of power and general performance. Generally, these cars use rechargeable batteries that are plugged in before use and have an electric motor and a combustion engine, meaning they run on both petrol and electricity. It is estimated that the average electricity cost of charging the batteries works out to around 25% of what you’d pay if you used unleaded petrol.

There are already Mitsubishi’s plug-in hybrids available in Australia, including the Outlander PHEV, which packs impressive 4WD power and performance, with a fuel economy rating of 1.9L/100kms. These kinds of cars have only over the past few years become commercially available to the public and the technology used continues to improve.

Coupe-style

The new look SUV is set to have a sharper appearance, with early images showing off a flat, sleek red roof with sharp edges over a shiny silver body. While we’re just going off a single photo, there are whispers that the SUV will be a high-end model and take the design of Mitsubishi’s existing SUVs in another direction.

Coupe SUVs in the market are largely considered luxury cars – indeed, if eventually released in Australia, this model will be seen as a viable competitor for some big players including Mercedes.

We shall be keeping a close eye on how this develops – we’re very excited to see the Ground Tourer Concept later in the year!

Being described as the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV, the new Outlander PHEV is to be released in Australia in mid-2016 due to higher-than-expected demand in foreign markets including the Netherlands and the UK. The Mitsubishi Outlander 2015 model sold consistently worldwide, particularly in the UK and Australia, and early reports are suggesting that we’ll be seeing their numbers eclipsed by 2016’s offering. Improvements have been made across the board, most notably to the car’s performance.

Efficiency

True to form, Mitsubishi has made a strong effort to focus on improving the energy efficiency of the PHEV, after all, the target market is essentially looking for this when they go for a hybrid.

The 4D waggon will be considerably more efficient than the previous model. How efficient? With fully charged batteries, the PHEV gets 1.8L/100km. This basically means that over reasonably short distances (going to work and back every day), you’re unlikely to use up any fuel whatsoever. That said, simply fueling up before a drive to a holiday destination or even road-trip, will have you making the trip comfortably. The PHEV is both a city-friendly family vehicle or a something to load up and take with you on week’s getaway.

This makes it particularly practical for just about any lifestyle, which is possibly why it is appealing to more consumers than expected in the early going overseas.

Performance

A positive is that this improved efficiency across the board has not necessarily come at the cost of power. A 2.0-liter petrol engine links to the front wheels and with 87kW behind it the SUV packs more than enough punch for its intended purpose.

But the real improvements have come in the form of handling, with tweaks made to the front and back suspension. This not only improves steering response but makes driving along hilly country roads, pebble streets of dirt tracks more smooth and far more forgiving. It also means things are less noisy in the cabin, which was a criticism that was made about 2015‘s model.

While it’s not exactly the quickest car in its class, the Outlander has decent acceleration up to 100km/h and power will always deliver what is expected.

Interior

Mitsubishi has taken various shortcomings pointed out about past models to heart and understandably looked to improve these. One such improvement is the interior which has abandoned its understated style and gone for a more luxurious look. As discussed, there has been a strong focus on improving comfort inside by reducing sounds from wind, suspension and the like. Sound proofing additions have been made as well as anti-vibration material added; in combination with an improved suspension, this makes for a much more relaxed ride.

Keep an eye out for the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, sure to be one of the most popular releases in 2016 and certainly an upgrade over the previous model. For information about the full range of Mitsubishi’s vehicles available now or to book a test drive, speak to the friendly team at Chadstone Mitsubishi today!